


beat me to the punch

by Faye_Reynolds



Series: tumblr pairing/au prompts [38]
Category: The Pacific (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Hanukkah, M/M, celebrating holidays together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-19 15:28:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22146469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faye_Reynolds/pseuds/Faye_Reynolds
Summary: though they’ve been together for a few years, gene and snafu haven’t celebrated the holidays together, but this year that all changes. and because they’re spending the holidays away from their families for the first time, gene is determined to make it special. he also has an alternative plan for making it special, but that’s something that gene’s been planning for far longer. and though he’s certain that snafu loves him, his plan coupled with the holidays has him on edge. after all, nothing says it’s the holidays like constant panic and frantic action. and gene has both in spades.
Relationships: Merriell "Snafu" Shelton/Eugene Sledge
Series: tumblr pairing/au prompts [38]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/920394
Kudos: 8





	beat me to the punch

Grating a potato shouldn’t be able to bring some near a panic attack, yet here Gene was.

With a potato is one hand and grater in another, hands shaking and heart racing, Gene starts grating.

It wasn’t the action or the process that was giving him anxiety, but rather what it meant. What tonight meant.

It was the first time he and Snafu were celebrating the holidays together and Gene wanted to do everything he could to make sure it was as memorable as possible. They’d been together for the better part of three years, but this is the first time they’d be together for the holidays and since they celebrate different holidays, Gene had been working around the clock to make sure that his boyfriend didn’t feel left out.

So, he’s spent the last week, while Snafu was on a work trip, decorating their house, finishing shopping, and now making their holiday dinner. He smiles and supposes owning a restaurant has its benefits.

Still, no matter how much he cooks and creates for his career, no meal has ever been more important than the one he’s preparing now.

With the beef brisket is in the oven, carrots roasting along side them, he moves onto Snafu’s three favorite foods: latkes, sufganiyot, and butter cookies.

He managed to get Snafu’s mother’s butter cookie recipe and worked on the sufganiyot while the cookies cool. He always loved Snafu’s sweet tooth and his inability to control it.

He saved the latkes for last so they’re fresh when Snafu finally makes it home.

Tonight had to go perfectly, Gene was counting on it. He sets the formed pancakes to the side while the oil heats up.

He takes a deep breath before moving onto the next task, perhaps the most important one: icing for the cookies.

The success of the night rested upon the icing for the cookies.

His phone buzzes in his pocket.

_Burgie: Leaving the airport now. Be there in a half-hour._

_Burgie: Snaf is confused as to why me and Bill picked him up instead of you._

_Burgie: By confused, I mean sad._

Gene texts back in a flurry before the oil can get too hot.

_You: Good. He won’t suspect a thing then. Thanks for the assist Burg._

_Burgie: No problem. Tonight’s a big night. Anything we can do to help._

At the reminder, he takes a deep breath and starts dropping the latkes in the pan.

He’s just finished the last pancake when he hears a car door slam. He kills the heat and rushes toward their front door.

* * *

Snafu bids his farewell to Burgie and Bill and climbs the front porch stairs, exhaustion from flight and work trip hitting him with full force. He’d be lying if he said that he wasn’t hurt that Gene didn’t pick him up from the airport.

This is his first Hanukkah away from his family and though he’s more than happy to spend the holidays with Gene, it’s been hard being away from them. He shakes off the melancholy as he reaches their front door and is surprised when the door swings open abruptly.

Gene is in his arms before Snafu can do anything more than breathe. Immediately the warmth of Gene’s body combines with the spice of his cologne and the telltale aroma of fried dough, sugar, and potatoes.

“Welcome home.” Gene declares gently before pulling Snafu into a soft kiss. 

Snafu smiles into the kiss and pulls Gene closer into arms.

“I have a surprise for you.” Before Snafu could respond, Gene pulled them both into their home.

Snafu set his bag down before he looked up and what he saw made his heart skip a beat and his breath catch in his throat.

Their house was fully decorated and smelled just like his mother’s kitchen, just like home.

Among the classic Christmas decorations were just as many celebrating Hanukkah. A menorah, complete with a set of candles and a Shamash sat dead center above their fireplace, above their stockings. The Christmas tree was adorned with candy canes and dreidels. Among the classic red and green, blue and white stood out just as much.

Snafu took it all in, mesmerized and feeling so much like he was at home.

“You did all this?” He asked in awe, voice strained with intense emotion.

Gene, who had been holding his breath while his boyfriend took in his work, nodded enthusiastically.

“Yeah, and the decorations are just the beginning babe.”

Gene grabbed Snafu’s hand and pulled him into the large kitchen with excitement. Gene was worried about the decorations, afraid he’d done too much or too little, but he knew his food was where he would really shine.

The aroma of the kitchen hit Snafu in full force and as he looked from platter to platter, he felt his eyes tear up. He always felt like Gene was too god for him and this did more than prove his point. While he was gone all week, Gene had managed his restaurant _and_ pulled this off.

“…and we’re going to decorate cookies after dinner, but first, can you grab the applesauce out of the fridge?”

Snafu only caught the tail end what Gene was saying and again felt he didn’t deserve the man in front of him.

He doesn’t move, doesn’t respond until Gene grabs his hands.

“Snaf? What’s wrong? Did I do something wrong?”

Snafu looks up abruptly, into Gene concerned eyes and laughs softly.

“No, Gene. Everything is perfect. I just…can’t believe you did all this just for me…for something you don’t even celebrate.” Snafu cleared his throat, emotion once again choking him up and preventing him from fully saying what he wanted to. His latest work trip and time away from Gene had him missing home and the man he loved more than ever before. Any time away from Gene made Snafu feel incomplete. So while he was away, he stopped at a jewelry store downtown and hoped that when he got home, he’d surprise the man he loved more than anyone and show Gene how much he meant to him.

As it stood, Gene had his own surprises and was blowing Snafu’s out of the water.

“Snaf, if it’s important to you then it’s important to me. If you celebrate it, I celebrate it. I love you and your life is my life. If you’re happy then I’m happy.”

Snafu pulls Gene into a heated kiss, pouring all his love into their connection.

“I love you so much, Gene. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than here, with you.”

Gene smiled against Snafu’s lips.

“I hope you’re hungry then. I’ve been cooking all day.”

Snafu laughed, “How’s that different than any other day?”

Gene threw a towel at his boyfriend.

“Because I made all your favorites for the first time and you better lie to me and say they’re better than your mamma’s.”

Snafu smiled, “Latkes?”

Gene nodded, “Hup. Applesauce is in the fridge.”

Snafu looks on the table and sees, “Are those sufganiyot?!”

Gene laughed at the excitement as he pulled the brisket out of the oven to plate.

“Yes, Snaf, and we’re decorating butter cookies after dinner. Your mamma finally gave me her recipe.”

Snafu crowded Gene against the counter, unable to contain himself. No one had ever made him feel so loved and wanted and accepted and cherished and he wanted nothing more than to make Gene feel the exact same way. He hoped his original plan would accomplish that and if it didn’t, he wasn’t sure what he would do.

He had a whole speech prepared, planned on wrapping the gift for Gene to open in a few days but he was speaking before his mind could even catch up.

“Gene,” he clears his throat and grab’s Gene’s hands, “I was going to wait to do this, but I can’t go another minute without knowing whether or not you want to marry me.”

He watches nervously as Gene’s face shifts from shock to warmth to annoyance and finally outrage.

Gene slips from his hold and Snafu’s heart drops. He always felt like Gene was too good for him and maybe this was the moment he found out it was true.

Then Gene speaks.

“This is so typical of you! I spend an entire week decorating the house, shopping and cooking, and planning and talking to your mamma for four hours,” Gene holds up four fingers, “Four hours Snafu! I had the perfect plan. We were gonna eat and then decorate cookies and I was gonna write my proposal on a cookie. A damn cookie! What’s more fitting for your sweet tooth? Not to mention that it’s your favorite sweet. And then you come in and ask me first? The audacity!”

Gene’s panting slightly, but he’s been smiling the entire time and Snafu has never been so confused in his life.

“So, to answer your stolen question, of course, I wanna marry you. I’ve been ready to marry you since our third date.”

It takes several moments for Snafu’s brain to catch up with the last two minutes and the fact that Gene said yes.

Once he realizes that Gene’s said yes, he crowds his against the counter, peppering every inch of Gene’s neck and face with kisses.

“I swear I’m gonna make you the happiest man in the world, Gene.”

Gene stops Snafu’s assault with a warm laugh and pulled him close.

“You’ve already done that, Snaf. You do it every day I get to wake up next to you.”

Snafu kissed him firmly and poured his love into it as he slipped the ring onto Gene’s finger.

Gene pulls away and marvels at the silver band.

Gene’s smile widens and he walks around the counter to grab the ring he’d gotten for Snafu.

It was an antique silver adorned with two strong intertwining lines.

He slides it perfectly onto Snafu’s finger.

“Forgive me if I mess this up, but אני אוהב אותך.”

The tears that had been threatening the boundaries of his eyes finally fell onto Snafu’s cheeks.

He pulls Gene into another kiss, desperate and full of love.

“I love you so much, Gene.”

Gene smiles, “Prove it by doing the dishes later.”

Snafu laughs and kisses his fiancé.


End file.
